UK Labour Delays Child Poverty Plan, Thousands More Affected

Labour's flagship child poverty strategy, initially expected in the spring, has been delayed until at least the autumn budget due to concerns about the financial cost and political benefit of key proposals, including scrapping the two-child benefit cap. The cap, introduced in the austerity era, restricts benefits for families with more than two children and is estimated to push around 100 children into poverty daily, potentially affecting up to 20,000 children during the delay. While Prime Minister Keir Starmer reportedly sees scrapping the cap as a personal priority and a way to demonstrate commitment to tackling child poverty, figures like Chancellor Rachel Reeves and Starmer’s chief of staff Morgan McSweeney have expressed caution over the cost and questioned the electoral gains. The government insists it is committed to reducing child poverty through a comprehensive approach, including free breakfast clubs, affordable housing, and education initiatives, though critics warn that further delays risk worsening poverty in the short term. Charities and experts have condemned the postponement, emphasizing the urgency to act, as tens of thousands more children may face deep poverty if the cap remains. The government plans to publish a broader child poverty strategy later this year and is considering a package of measures worth up to £750 million to address the root causes of poverty.